"Alright so this is our last training day before our first game of SheBelieves so I'll be pulling some of you aside to talk throughout training. Cool?" I say and the multitude of women in front of me nod. "Good. Let's get started."

Dawn leads the team through their stretches and that other stuff while I talk with Ash, Ali, Becky, and Carli.

"This still feels a bit weird right?" Becky says.

"Yeah I feel like I should be warming up right now." Ash says.

The five of us talk for awhile then, once training is underway, I start pulling people to chat.

"BLEDSOE." I shout then motion the keeper towards me.

The brunette jogs over to me then she sits down next to me.

"Yes Coach?" Aubrey asks

"How ya feeling?" I ask.

"I feel great."

"Good." I say. "How fast do you think you could get your parents here?"

"Uh I don't know."

"Well." I say and hand the keeper my phone. "Don't ya think they'd want to see their daughter start her first game."

"What?" The younger girl asks.

"Call 'em." I say with a smile.

Aubrey smiles at me then dials someone's number.

"Mama?...Can you guys come to Boston?...I'm starting in the game tomorrow."

I then hear Aubrey's mother scream through the phone which makes me laugh.

"Tell her they just need to get to here and we'll have tickets for them."

Aubrey nods and tells her mom what I told her then they talk for a little longer.

"Mama I gotta get back to training." Aubrey says. "Love you too...Bye Mama."

Aubrey hangs up and hands me my phone.

"Thank you." The keeper says.

"You deserve it." I say.

"Well I'll see ya later coach." Aubrey says and jogs back to the keepers.

That felt kinda nice.

"CRYSTAL." I shout then motion her over when she looks at me.

"Hey Astrid." Crystal says as she approaches.

"Hey Crystal." I say and motion to the seat next to me.

"So what's up coach." Crystal says with a chuckle. "Sorry that's still so weird."

"I'm still getting use to it." I say then both of us laugh "So how do you feel about playing left back?"

"I mean I'm playing so I don't mind."

"Cool." I say. "Well to be frank with you Crystal I'm most likely going to keep you at Left back."

"Alright."

"But tomorrow I'm going to try Kristie at left back because I wanna see how she'll do there should we need to rest you."

"That's fine."

"Cool." I say then pat Crystal's knee. "Good talk."

Crystal smiles at me then she leaves so I call over the Mewis sisters.

"Hey Astrid." Sam says as she sits down then Kristie sits on her knee.

"Hey MewTwo." I say.

"So what's up Coach Heath." Sam teases.

"Kristie." I say and look at the older sister. "How would you feel about playing in defense?"

"If it keeps me on the team I'll play anywhere." Kristie says.

"Good." I say. "Do you two have family coming tomorrow?"

"Yeah a bunch of our family is coming and my husband is too." Sam says.

"Good." I say then smile at the sisters. "Well how do you think they'll feel about seeing both Mewis' in the starting line up?"

"We're starting?" Sam asks in that signature surprised tone of voice.

"Sam you'll be in midfield and Kristie you'll be starting at left back."

"Thank you." Kristie says. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't." I say. "Well you two get back to training and I'll talk to you later."

"Yes coach." The sisters say in unison.

They then get up and walk away from me.

"What the hell?" I hear Kristie say.

"Oh and Kristie." I say getting her attention.

"Yes Coach?" Kristie asks.

"Let's not have your girlfriend beat us alright?" I say.

"Yes coach." Kristie says with a smirk.

The two Mewis sisters walk back to the team and before I call the next person over I decided to watch the current drill which is 5v5. As I'm watching I see one of the newbies recklessly tackle another newbie. The newbie quickly gets off the ground and gets in the face of the girl who tackled her.

"Uh oh." I say to myself then I sprint over to the drill as the two ladies get into a shoving match.

The rest of the team try to break it up and when I get there I push my way through and grab onto the two ladies shirts and drag them away from the team. I drag the two newbies over to the bench seats then I sit them in a seat. Once they're seated I grab two water bottles and unscrew the lids then I throw the contents of the water bottles on the two ladies.

"Cool the fuck off." I seethe as the women wipe their faces with their shirt

"She-" Jade, one of the newbies, says.

"AHHH." I shout stopping Jade from talking. "I don't wanna fucking hear it."

I then look at Jade's lap and see she has her fists balled.

"Either swing or unball your fucking fists." I say and get ready to defend myself.

Mama didn't raise no bitch.

Jade takes a deep breathe then she relax's her fists.

"Now what the fuck is wrong with you two." I say. "This isn't high school. This isn't college. This isn't the NWSL. This is the fucking US Women's National Team and I am well within my limits to have you both sent home."

"Astrid." Carli says from behind me then she hands me towels.

I then hand each girl a towel then squat in front of them.

"Listen...Jade, you and Tara need to learn that this team is a family. Yes I understand family members fight, but in this family if you fight then you get kicked out understood?"

"Yes Coach." Jade says.

"Yes Coach." Tara, the other newbie, says.

"Good...Now Jade all three of us know that the challenge Tara did was reckless, but if you react like you did just now in a game then you'll be taking an early shower and we can't have that."

"Yes Coach." Jade says.

"Can I trust you two to get along or do I need to call in other people to take your spot?" I question.

"You can trust us." Tara says as Jade nods in agreement.

"Good answer." I say. "Now you two go see Dawn and do what she says then get back with the team.

"Yes coach." The two youngsters say then they go see Dawn.

I sigh then grab the two water bottles and their lids then walk over to the coolers where the athletic training staff is standing.

"Sorry for wasting the water." I say as I fill up the water bottles. "I had to prove a point."

"It's fine." Mike, one of the AT's says.

I finish filling up the water bottles and place them back in their holder then walk over to my coaching staff.

"They need to grow up." I mumble.

"That happened out of nowhere." Becky says as I watch Jade and Tara doing down and backs on the sideline.

"What was she trying to do?" Ali asks.

"Jade just wants to assert herself as the don't fuck with me player." I say.

"She needs to learn you can't do that." Carli says as the two newbies finish their down and backs.

Ali takes over training again as I pull a couple more players out to talk to them.

Once I've talked to everyone I need to I blow my whistle and motion for everyone to come in.

"Alright ladies the last thing we're going to do today is something I'd like to do after every training." I say with a smile. "We're gonna do a little competition and today's competition is between the position groups."

"Is there a prize?" Kelley cheekily asks.

"Actually there is so everyone get into your position groups then I'll tell you the competition...oh Jane you go with the forwards, Aubrey with the Midfielders, and Lys with the defenders." I say.

Everyone nods and gets in their position groups then they look at me.

"Today's competition is a crossbar challenge. Each member of your group gets one shot from the 18 yard line then you will nominate one person to take the final shot so each group has 10 shots." I say. "The coaching staff and I will determine if your cross bar counts."

"And the prize?" Kelley asks.

"We are having a team dinner somewhere tonight and the winners get to choose where we eat and they don't have to pay for their meal."

"Who's paying then?"

"The two teams with the least amount of crossbar hits." I say. "Everyone agree to the rules?"

Everyone nods so I take out my phone and type a number down in the notes then hand it to Ali.

"Alright Julie...Abby...Mal pick a number between 1 and 30." I say.

"17." Julie says.

"16." Abby says.

"14." Mal says.

"Number was 16. Defenders go first followed by midfielders then forwards." Ali says.

"Why 16?" Christen asks.

"That's how many trophy's she's won." Kelley says.

"Right you are." I say.

"16?" Mal questions.

"2 champions league title's with Wolfsburg, 5 league titles with Wolfsburg, 6 DFB-Pokal Frauen titles with Wolfsburg, 1 league title with Utah, 1 World Cup, and 1 Olympic Gold medal."

"What about your individual awards like the UEFA women's player of the year, the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year, the World Cup golden ball, and the golden glove?" Mal asks

"I never played for individual awards so I don't count those." I say.

"When did you win the player of the year awards?" Alex asks.

"The UEFA awards were in the 2012-13 season and the 2013-14 season then the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year awards were for 2013 and 2014." I say.

"You and Tobin's trophy cabinet must be insane." Sonnett says.

"It's pretty decent."

"It's alright." Tobin say.

"Let's get back to the competition at hand." I say. "Defenders choose your first shooter."

The defenders choose Sofia Huerta and she steps up then she kicks and barely misses the bar.

Everybody takes their go pretty quickly and when the last round is up the score is very close.

"Forwards who are you nominating for your final go?" I question.

"Alex." Mal says.

"Midfielders?"

"Lindsey." Julie says.

"Defenders?" I question.

"Kelley." Abby says.

The three ladies take their go all at the same time and Alex and Lindsey barely miss, but Kelley hits the bar flush.

"Defenders finish with 7 crossbars hits...Midfielders finish with 6 crossbars hits and forwards finish with................... 6 crossbars hits." I say. "Defenders win."

"YES." Kelley shouts.

"Good practice everyone." I say. "Defenders decide on our place for dinner and let one of the coaches know so we can tell you guys how to dress."

"We'll decide on the bus." Kelley says. "Because it's about to start dumping rain so let's get the fuck outta here."

"What she said." I say.

Everyone gathers their stuff then we head to the bus. Once on the bus I sit in Tobin and I's normal row and a couple seconds later I'm joined by my wife.

"Hey Boo Bear." I say then peck her lips.

"Hi Beautiful." Tobin says and intertwines our hands.

"Did you like the competition thing?" I inquire.

"I did." Tobin says with a smile. "It's a nice way to have a fun ending to training."

"Good." I say. "You're still okay staying with me instead of one of the girls?"

"There's in no way in hell that I'm not falling asleep in your arms." Tobin says.

"I love you Tobin."

"I love you too...Coach."